Knitting machine



Nov. 4 1924.

A. FARLAND KNITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 2, 1922 Patented Nov. 1, 19124.

Meer erica.

KNITTING- MACHINE.

Application led August 2, 1922. Serial No. 578,167;

T 0 all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, ADELARD FARLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, county of Providence, State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specilication.

"Ihis invention relates to improvements in knitting-machines and particularly to machines of circular type for knitting tubular fabrics. f

One object of the invention is to provide an improved holder for the burr-wheels and other attachments or implements employed with the lniitting-needles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination holder for a plurality of the attachments which will economize space and allow a closer setting of the knitting elements around the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved presser-bar for the burrwheel which will be simpler and more compact in construction and arrangement and more ellicient for the purpose intended.

Another and most important object of the invention is to provide. an improved means for mounting` the implements or appliances of the knitting mechanism so thatthey may be conveniently adjusted in relation to the knitting-needles, while also permitting a close setting of a plurality of the appliances in relation to each other, and rendering them more convenient to remove and replace with attachments of other types in accordance with varying requirements for different classes of work. c

Still further objects of the improvement are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated by the accoma panying drawings. In the drawings: c

Fig. l is a part sectional view of a portion of a circular knitting-machine showing my improved attachment applied thereto; 'and Fig. 2 is a detailed view of the attachment. l

Referring to Fig. 1, the reference nu Ineral 2 designates the fixed horizontal bed plate of the machine and 3 the rotating needle-cylinderor head which carries the row of bearded needles l on its circumference. It will be understood that in the present type of machine the needles 4L are held fixedly to the periphery of the cylinder or head 3 by the clamp-ring segments 5 so that they revolve with the head but without movement thereon. The j tubular fabric, represented at F in Fig. 1, is formed by the well-known method of chain-looping lthe yarns on the needles 4 through the coopera@ tion therewith of a set of burr-wheels and other appliances or attachments of various types.` In the present drawings I havek shown one attachment only comprising a combination holder or support for carrying one of the knitting-burrs and the presserfoot- 7. It is to be understood, however, that the improvedform of holder herein illustrated may be adapted for carrying any or all of the various burrs of the set, such as the loop-wheel, fsinker-wheel, presser-wheel7, landingwheel, stripping or knocking-over wheel, the curved cloth presser77 or any otherattachment or appli# ance as employed in conjunction therewith. The means for mounting the holders onthe bed-plate of the machine is also commentol all of the various attachments to be used and constitutes an important feature of the invention. f j

My improved anchoring or attaching means for the kappliance-holders comprises a raised ring or annular track 10 which is preferably supported on the bed-platefQ in spaced relation ,to `the periphery of the head or needle-cylinder 3. Thetrack or annulus 10 may be constructed in the form of a con-y tinuous hoop or ring or may 'be madel up of a plurality of arcuate segments of substan-k tially rectangular shape kin kcross-section seated against theat top of the bed-plate 2. The ring or tracklO is fastened in place by means of screws. 11 threaded into bores in the bed-plate 2,' the heads of the screws 1l being countersunk into the top of the ring to provide a smooth, unbroken surface along its upper face. r I

The holders 12 yforjthe various attachments ofthe machine comprise essentially ay circular base or hub 15 which is provided with an arcuate slot 16 on its under side to llO track to secure the holder in position. The post or standard 18 may be constructed integral with the hub 15, 'but as herein shown, it is preferably made .from a separate rod which has its lower end seated in a bore 20 in the hub and. secured in place by a setscrew 21. The post 18 is` adapted to support a plurality of arms for carrying the burrs or other appliances which cooperate with the needles` of the machine, two of these arms being shown in Fig. 1.

The upper arm carries a relatively fixed presser-member of the usual type which reaches down inside of the row of needles 4 with its curved foot pressing against the lower edge of the fabric F tov hold the stitches depressed on the needles. T he arm 25 preferably consists ofV two partsa main section 28 having a split hub 29 encircling l able means is employed for binding the extension 31V in the arm 28 to secure the presser-foot in its position of adjustment.

The lower arm 35 which is shown as carrying the burr-wheel 6 is provided with a hub 37 bored to receive the post 18. The arm 85 projects radially outward away from the axis of the machine and a set-screw 36 holds it from sliding on the post 18. Referring particularly to Fig. 2, the inner end of the arm 35 is pro-vided with a vertical slot38, while thel outwardly projecting-portion of the arm is chambered with an axial bore 39. At the outer extremity of the arm 35 the bore 39 is threaded to receive the barrel of a thimble 40 which is formed with a shoulder 41 adapted to seat againstthe end' of the arm. A rod 42 has its` main portion flatted olf on the sides at 43toadapt it'to be in-l serted through the slot 38 in the end of the arm 35v andl to pass through anelongated slot 44 in the post or standard' 18 on which the arm 35 ismounted; At its inner end the rod 42 is provided with a reduced portion 45 carrying a bearing-member 46 secured therespring 51 surrounds the spindle 50 withiny the chamberedbore 3 9 ofthe arm 35 and, acting between the end of the thimble 40 and a shoulder 52 on the rod 42, tends to urge the rod to the right as viewed in Fig. 1. A unt 58 engaging threads 54 on the outer ex- Vhenvonce adjusted in this manner the burr or other appliance carried by the holder 12 is maintained in operative relation with the the needles 4 while being adapted to yield when required through the compression of the spring 51. f y

It will be observed from the above description that my present invention provides a particularly simple andteliicient mounting or holder for t-he various appliances or attachments employed on knitting-machines to cooperate with the knitting-needles. The

annulartrack 10 provides a fixed mounting:

for the holders or standards which carry the appliances of the machine, and the slotted hubs of the holders 12 maybe quickly attached or removed therefrom to adapt the machine for different y classes of work. Through this arrangement the holders will always be set inpredetermi'ned relation to the axis of the machine to render it more convenient toi-adj ust the appliances radially in relation to the needles. lVl'oreover, the holders may be shifted in position circumferentially of the machinewithout disturbing the radial relation between the attachments and the row of needles. A further and most important feature of the improvement is the provision for setting a plurality of holders, called a set, in close lateral relation wherebyto allow the use of a greater number of attachment-s within a given space to increase the eciency ofthe machine.

It has-been explained that a. single holder is adapted to carry a plurality of' attachments, such for instance as theV burr-wheel and correlated presser-foot herein illustrated, andthis arrangement results in a still further close grouping of the knitting implements or attachments. The improved means for mounting the burr-wheels or other appliances on the holders also provides for greater compactness and simplicity of structure while effecting a more rigid and secure support therefor.

Various modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of the parts of the apparatus without departing from the spirity or scope of the invention; therefore, without limiting myself to the exact embodiment herein disclosed, I claim:

1. In a knitting-machine, the combination with the bed-plate and needle-cylinder thereof, of a laterally-slotted vetrical post adapted for adjustment on the bed-pate circumferentially of the needle-cylinder, a hollow arm provided with a hub surrounding the post, a rod slidable in the arm through the slot in the post and having means' engaging the sides of the slot to hold it from turning therein, means Jfor mounting a knitting-implement at the end of the rod, and means for adjusting said rod longitudinally of the arm.

2. In a knitting-machine, the combination with the bed-plate and needle-cylinder thereof, of a laterally-slotted vertical post adapted for adjustment on the bed-plate circum'ferentially of the needle-cylinder, a hollow arm provided with a hub surrounding the post, a rod slidable in the arm through the slot in the post and 'formed with ilattcd portions engaging the sides of the slot to hold it from turning therein,'means 'for mounting a knitting-implement at the end of the rod, a spring for sliding the rod longitudinally of its axis, and adjustable means for limiting the movement of the rod under the action of the spring.

3. In a knitting-machine, the combination with the bed-plate and needle-cylinder thereof, of a laterally-slotted vertical post adapted ior adjustment on the bed-pate circumferentially of the needle-cylinder, a hol- 10W arm provided with a hub surrounding the post, a rod slidable in the arm through the slot in the post and formed with `flatted portions engaging the sides of the Slot to hold it from turning therein, means for mounting a knittingimplement at the end of the rod, a spring for sliding the rod longitudinally of its axis, and means adjustable on the rod to limit its sliding movement under the action of the spring.

4. In a knitting-machine, the combination of a Vertical post formed With a lateral slot,

an axially-bored arm provided with a hubv the sides of the ring and provided with a f bore in its upper end, a laterally slotted Cylindrical post seated in the bore in the hub to adapt it to turn therein, means for securingthe hub to the ring, means for securing the post from turning in the hub', an arm having a hub bored to adapt it to surround the post and provided With an axial bore of larger diameter than the slot in the post, a rod slidable in the a-Xial bore of the arm and provided with an enlarged portion With iatted sides engaging the sides of the slot in the post, and means for attaching a knitting-implement at the endof the rod.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ADELARD FARLAND. 

